Saint Ida OF LORRAINE ( -1113)

	Ida of Lorraine

Individual Events and Attributes

Marriage

Individual Note

Ida of Lorraine (also referred to as Blessed Ida of Boulogne)[1] (c. 1040 – 13 April 1113)[2] was a saint and noblewoman.

She was the daughter of Godfrey III, Duke of Lower Lorraine and his wife, Doda.[3] Ida's grandfather was Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine and Ida's brother was Godfrey IV, Duke of Lower Lorraine.

In 1057, she married Eustace II of Boulogne.[2] They had three sons:

Eustace III, the next Count of Boulogne

Godfrey of Bouillon, first ruler of Kingdom of Jerusalem

Baldwin, second ruler of Kingdom of Jerusalem

Ida shunned the use of a wet-nurse in raising her sons. Instead, she breast-fed them to ensure that they were not contaminated by the wet-nurse's morals.[4] When her sons went on the First Crusade, Ida contributed heavily to their expenses.[5]

Ida was always religiously and charitably active, but the death of her husband provided her wealth and the freedom to use it for her projects. She founded several monasteries:

Saint-Wulmer in Boulogne-sur-Mer[1][6]

Our Lady of the Chapel, Calais[1]

Saint-Bertin[1]

Abbey of Cappelle[7]

Abbey of Le Wast[7]

She maintained a correspondence with Anselm of Canterbury. Some of Anselm’s letters to Ida have survived.[8][9]

She became increasingly involved in church life. However, current scholarship feels that she did not actually become a Benedictine Nun, but that she was a “Secular Oblate of the Benedictine Order”.[1][6]

Ida died on 13 April 1113, which is the date she is honoured. Traditionally, her burial place has been ascribed to the Monastery of Saint Vaast.[6] Her remains were moved in 1669 to Paris and again in 1808 to Bayeux.[1]

Her life story was written by contemporary monk of Saint Vaast Abbey.[6]

She is venerated in Bayeux.[1]

NOTES:

1 a b c d e f g Butler, Alban; Paul Burns (2000). Butler's Lives of the Saints. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 94. ISBN 0860122530.

2 a b Holböck, Ferdinand (2002). Married Saints and Blesseds. Ignatius Press. pp. 147. ISBN 0898708435.

3 Butler, Alban; Paul Burns (2000). Butler's Lives of the Saints. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 93. ISBN 0860122530.

4 Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879-1160. Boulogne-sur-Mer (France): BRILL. pp. 262. ISBN 9004132430.

5 Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879-1160. Boulogne-sur-Mer (France): BRILL. pp. 135. ISBN 9004132430.

6 a b c d Holböck, Ferdinand (2002). Married Saints and Blesseds. Ignatius Press. pp. 148. ISBN 0898708435.

7 a b Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879-1160. Boulogne-sur-Mer (France): BRILL. pp. 140. ISBN 9004132430.

8 Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879-1160. Boulogne-sur-Mer (France): BRILL. pp. 123, footnote. ISBN 9004132430.

9 Vaughn, Sally N. (1990). "St. Anselm and Women". Haskins Society Journal (University of South Carolina) 2: 86. ISBN 1852850590.

SOURCES:

Butler, Alban; Paul Burns (2000). Butler's Lives of the Saints. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 0860122530.

Holböck, Ferdinand (2002). Married Saints and Blesseds. Ignatius Press. ISBN 0898708435.

Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England c. 879-1160. Boulogne-sur-Mer (France): BRILL. ISBN 9004132430.

Vaughn, Sally N. (1990). "St. Anselm and Women". Haskins Society Journal (University of South Carolina) 2: 83–94. ISBN 1852850590.²

Sources